4/17/2013 04:48:00 pm -
Reported by
John Bowman

Stamps issued in the UK last month to mark the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who have proved phenomenally successful and today Doctor Who News is pleased to launch a competition that will see one lucky person win framed sets of them, courtesy of Royal Mail.

Each of the 11 TV Doctors was represented on his own first-class stamp, and a five-stamp mini-sheet comprising a first-class stamp of the TARDIS and four second-class stamps of enemies – a Dalek, Cyberman, Ood, and Weeping Angel – was also produced. Royal Mail reportedly received more than three times the usual number of pre-registrations for the first-class set, such was the interest in them.

Various items are still available via the Royal Mail shop, including framed sets of both lots of stamps. Together, the framed commemorative sets would cost £60 (plus postage and packing), but we have one of each up for grabs. Please note that because of the bulky and fragile nature of the prize, this contest is only open to UK residents. To be in with a chance of winning the sets, correctly answer the following question:

How many definitive stamp denominations are there in the current UK range and what are their values?

Please send your answer to stamps-competition@doctorwhonews.net using the subject line "The Doctor gets licked". Your entry should also have your full name and postal address including postcode. In addition, please say where you saw this competition. The contest closes at 11.59pm BST on Wednesday 24th April. One winner will then be chosen at random from all the correct entries received and their prize sent to them by Royal Mail.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Entry is restricted to UK residents.

Only one entry per UK postal address will be accepted.

The competition is closed to employees of Royal Mail, their relatives, and friends.

The winner will be contacted in the first instance by the e-mail address via which they sent their entry.

The winner agrees to have their name and general geographical location published.

The judges' decision is final.

UPDATE - 28th April: This competition is now closed. Any entries received after the cut-off point stated above will be disregarded.

Peter Cushing stamp:

Yesterday saw the film and TV actor Peter Cushing, who played Dr Who in the two 1960s Dalek films, achieve a special status by appearing on a UK first-class stamp.

Depicted as Sherlock Holmes, whom he portrayed on both the silver screen and TV, he is part of the Great Britons set, which has been released by Royal Mail.

Cushing also achieved fame among sci-fi fans for his role as the villainous Grand Moff Tarkin in the first Star Wars film to be released, while in the horror world he was synonymous with both the sinister scientist Baron Frankenstein and the vampire-hunter Dr Van Helsing.

The Great Britons set celebrates the 100th or 150th birth anniversaries of distinguished individuals from sport, journalism, music, politics, and the arts. This year is the centenary of Cushing's birth. He died in August 1994 at the age of 81.

The other luminaries honoured in the set are photographer Norman Parkinson, actress Vivien Leigh, prime minister David Lloyd George, cookery writer Elizabeth David, politician John Archer (the first person of African descent to be elected to British public office), composer Benjamin Britten, football manager Bill Shankly, broadcaster Richard Dimbleby, and palaeoanthropologist Mary Leakey.